Let's be honest, everyone wants to see results when they workout. But what does it take to see those results? To keep it simple...it takes a challenge! And we don't mean a competition or anything of that sort. We are talking about actually challenging your body to see results. In order to see results, your body much be challenged to be changed!
This "challenge" is basically something that stresses your body enough that it must adapt, or "change" in order to do it again. So for instance, a great example of this is with weight selection. If you continue to use 135 lbs for a 4 x 8 Back Squat, yes you might start sweating, but your body will start to get comfortable with that weight and eventually become stagnant. This is the difference between just exercising and actually training.
So next time, if you want to see a quicker, more potent response from Back Squats or any exercise for the matter, add a little more weight (stress) and get after it! If you get to the point of almost failure, or heck, even if you do not get all the reps in on occasion, your body will have to adapt, and get stronger in order to get that weight at that rep scheme next time. A good goal is to select a weight for for an exercise where the last 1-2 reps are a bit of struggle. This is a great way to help start seeing those results!
Lastly, this change does not have to just come from just weight selection either. This can also be from just bringing a bit more intensity in your workouts, doing more reps than before, running faster or longer than last time, or going higher on box jumps, etc. Just remember the old saying, "if it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you." Now get up, get after it, and EARN THAT REST!